Airplane landing and launching mechanism



J. S. BLACK.

AIRPLANE LANDING AND LAUNCHING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1920.

1,383,595. Patented July 5, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET '1.

I 721) erzZor: JOHN/Yr S. Bum/r,

J. S BLACK.

AIRPLANE LANDING AND LAUNCHING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25,1920.

Patented July 5, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHNNY s. BLACK, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

AIRPLANE LASN'DING AND LAUNGHING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 25, 1920. Serial No. 361,311.

. line and, accordingly, a piece of real. estate having a substantiallystraight extent of several thousand yards is required for such alanding. For instance, the requirements of the United States Governmentfor landings for the present mail service are such that it has beenfound impossible to obtain suitable landing places as near large citiesas is desired; and, consequently, it has been .necessary to efiect suchlandings at places remote from several cities and to deliver airplanemail from the landing places to the cities by road vehicles; thusoccasioning a substantial loss of the time otherwise. saved by aerialtransportation of mail. My invention relates to means-for effecting sucha landing in a much smaller area of realestate. For instance, the formof my invention chosen for illustration affords an adequate landing andlaunching place for mail airplanes within an area less than two hundredfeet in diameter; so that suitable landing places may be found in anycity.

As hereinafter described, my invention includes means for positivelywhirling an airplane in a circular path from a stationary position to aspeed at which the airplane may be safely launched in an evoluteupwardly inclined spiral; the same means being operable to catch anairplane descending at any suitable speed, in an involute spiral,andbring the same to rest. As hereinafter described, m inventionincludes a tower having upon t e top thereof a revoluble ib, having atits outer end a pendent bight of flexible'cable and having, near itsinner end, means for positively revolving said jib in a circle, at anydesired speed; including a carriage mounted upon a circular track inconcentric relation with said tower and driving means concentric withsaid tower for turning said carriage; said jib being pivotally connectedwith said carriage and capable of tilting so that its outer end,,provided with said bight, may be held in horipartments.

zontal position, to launch or catch an airplane and may be raised andlowered to raise and lower airplanes with respect to a landing stage atthe base of said tower.. As hereinafter described, I find it covenientto make said landing stage as the roof of a circular airdromecontainingv'a circular series of; elevators whereby airplanes may beraised from said airdrome to said landing stage to be launched, or bereturned to said airdrome for storage.

My invention includes the various novel features of construction andarrangement hereinafter more definitely s ecified.'

In the drawings; Figure is a side elevation of a structure embodying myinvention.

said clutch mechanism, on a larger scale than Fig. III, showing a latchelement thereof.

In said "figures; 1 is a circular'airdrome erected upon the ground 2 andhaving a circular series of five compartments for the storage ofairplanes. Said compartments are each conveniently provided with doubledoors 3 so that airplanes may be moved to and from said compartments atthe ground level. However, the roof 4 of said airdrome forms a landingstage including elevator platforms 5 respectively local to said com- Itis to be understood that said elevators may be actuated by any suitablemechanism.

The tower 6 is erected in concentric relation with the building 1 abovedescribed and includes the central tubular column 7 containing a spiralstairway and elevator extending to and from the circular platform 8 nearthe top of said tower. Said platform has the circular tracks 9 uponwhich the carriage 10,, having truck wheels 11 engaging said tracks 9,is mounted to revolvein concentric relation with said tower. Saidcarriage 10 has the fulcrum bearings 14 upon which the jib 15 is mountedto tilt from the positionshown in full lines in Fig. I to the positionshown in dotted lines in said figure. Said jib carries at its outer end,the cable bight 16 which is permanently connected to saidjib 15 at eachend of said bight, but is flexible both transversely and in the direc-Patented July 5, 1921.

tion of length so as to afford substantially 1 -may be positivelycontrolled by any suitable means. For instance, a wire rope 21 may beextended from the inner end of said jib around suitable sheaves towinding mechanism including the drum 22 controllable by an operatorstationed in the cab 24 of said carriage.

Said jib may be provided with any suitable means for revolving it at anydesired speed concentrically with respect to said tower 6 and undercontrol of said operator.

For instance, the rotary shaft 25 may be extended through said column 7in engage ment with said carriage and have gears 26 at the lower endthereof operatively connecting said shaft with the electric motor 27.

Any suitable device may be employed in connection with an airplane todetachably engage said flexible cable bight 16. However, Ifi nd itconvenient to mount upon the fuselage of said airplane 20, a pair ofhook brackets 30 which may be pivoted at 31 upon respective rotarybearing plates 32 so that they may be manually erected to the positionshown in Figs. III and IV when it is desired to. connect the airplanewith said bight, but may be manually lowered to inoperative positionwhen desired. That is to .say; there are two rotary bearing plates 32,

which are mounted in the fuselage plate marked 20, as indicated in Figs.III and IV, so as to be independently manually rotatable, and supportthe respective hook brackets 30 as above described, so'that saidbrackets may be reversed, with respect to the di rection of travel ofthe fuselage by turning said plates. Said brackets 30 have, near the topthereof, rollers 3 for engagement upon said cable bight 16 so that theairplane 20 may readily shift thereon from the position shown in fulllines to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. I. Said bearingplates 32 may be revolved to present said brackets overhanging'the cable16 rearwardly, when it is desired to launch the airplane, and forwardly,when it is desired to land the same and, I find it convenient to providesaidbrackets 30 with respective latch levers 35 pivoted at 36 andprovided with operating means 37, so that they maybe closed to thepositionshown in full lines in Figs. III and IV, to preventaccidentaldisengagement oftheairplane withrespect to said cable bight 16, or maybeopened to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. IV when it isdesired to attach or detach the airplane with respect to said cable.Each of said brackets 30 may be provided with a spring lock 40 to engageits respective latch lever 35 in closed position shown in Figs. III andIV; said locks having respective knobs tl by which they maybe opened.Said spring locks may be of the ordinary construction used for closetdoors and including a slide bolt which is normally spring pressed toextend downlanding stage 4. Thereupon, said jib 15 is lowered and thecable bight 16 connected with the brackets 30 of said airplane, with thehooked upper extremities of said brack ets extendin rearwardly and withthe latch levers opened to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig.IV. Thereupon, said jib 15 is tilted to the position shown in full linesin Fig. I, and said carriage 10 is revolved, carrying said jib with it,at gradually increasing speed while the engine of the airplane is alsorevolving, until the speed attained is suitable for launching theairplane. VVhereupon, the pilot of the latter increases the speed of theairplane engine to a sufficient degree to leave the cable 16 and fly offin an upwardly evolute spiral, the beginning of which is tangential tothe circular path in which said airplane .had been whirled by thepositive driving movement of said jib 15. Thereafter, the mechanismshown in Figs. III and IV may be manually lowered substantially flushwith the'fuselage of the airplane while the latter continues in flight.IVhen thus lowered, said brackets 30 extend parallel with the latchlevers 35 in the positions indicated by dotted lines in Fig. IV.

When it is desired to land an airplane; said mechanism shown in Figs.III and IV is erected thereon, but with the hooked upper extremities ofsaid brackets 30 extending forwardly. The airplane pilothaving indicatedto the operator of the landing structure the direction in which heproposes to descend, descends in an involute spiral I While the jib 15is rotated at gradually in may be shut off while the jib continues towhirl the airplane in a circular path, with gradually diminishing speeduntil it comes to rest- Thereupon, said jib may be lowered from theposition shown in full lines a cable secured to the to the positionshown in dotted lines in Fig. I to land the airplane upon the stage 4.-and upon its elevator 5 so that it may be lowered with the airdrome 1,if desired.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of constructionand arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious that variousmodifications may be made therein without departing from the essentialfeatures of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: .1. In mechanism of the class described; a jib mounted torevolve azimuthally, and radially outer end of said jib in a bight flexble both radially and circumferentially with respect to the center ofrevolution of said jib; andmeans holdbgsaid cable with both ends fixedon said 1 r J 2. In mechanism of the class described; a stationarytower; a jib mounted to rev Olve azimuthally, and tilt altitudinally; atthe top of said tower, and a cable secured outer end of said jib in abight flexible bo'th radially and circumferentially with respect to thecenter of revolution of said jib. I

3. In mechanism of the class described; a cable arranged in a bightwhich is flexible; means arranged to maintain said bight radial whilewhirling it in a circle at variable s eed, including a jib revolubleazimutha y; a revoluble carriage for said jib; an axial driving shaftfixed in said carriage; a motor independent of the airplane motor fordriving said shaft; and a tower having a circular traclffor'saidcarriage.

jib and flexible both 4. In:mechanism of the class described;

7 a cable arranged in a bight which is flexible;

means arrangedto maintain said bight radial while whirling it in acircle at variable speed, including a jib revoluble azimuthally; arevoluble carriage for said jib; a tower having a circular track forsaid carriage; an axial shaft in said tower, having its upper endrigidly connected to said jib; and a motor, independent of the airplanemotor, and arranged to rotate said shaft.

5. Ih.mech'anism of theclass described;

a tower; a rigid jib mounted to revolve azimuthally and tiltaltitudinally, at the top Secured to the radially outer end of saidradiallyand circumferentially with respect to the center of revolutionof said jib.

6. In mechanism of the class described; a rigid jib mounted to revolveazimuthally and tilt altitudinally, and an airplane engagin cablesecured to the radially outer end 0 said jib and flexible both radiallyand'circumferentially with respect to the center of revolution of saidjib; and means holding said cable with its outer end fixed on said jib.

7. In mechanism of the class described; a rigid jib mounted to revolveazimuthally and tilt altitudinally; air plane engaging 7 meanspermanently fixedly secured to' the elevatlng means extending from saidroof to the ground; a tower in concentric relation with said inclosure;a rigid jib mounted to revolve azimuthally and tilt altitudinally at theupper end of said tower; a motor; and means operatively connecting saidmotor with said jib.

9. In mechanism of the class described; the combination with a circular.inclosure having a landing stage upon its roof; of elevating meansextending from said roof to the ground; a tower in concentricrelation'with said inclosure; a rigid jib mounted to revolve azimuthallyand tilt altitudinally at the upper end of said tower; an electric motorin said inclosure; means operatively connecting said motor with saidjib; and flexible airplane engaging means pendent at the radially outerend of said jib.

10. In mechanism of the class described; the combination with a circularinclosure having a landing stage upon its roof of elevating meansextending from said roof to the ground; a tower in concentric relationwith said inclosure; a jib mounted to revolve azimuthally and tiltaltitudinally at the upper end of said tower; a motor in said inclosure;means operativelyconnecting said motor with said jib; and airplaneengaging means including a flexible cable bight having both ends securedto said jib.

11. In mechanism of the class described; the combination with alandingstage; of a tower; a jib mounted to revolve azimuthally and tiltaltitudinally at the upper end of" said tower; a motor; meansoperatively. connecting said motor 'with said jib; and airplane engagingmeans including a flexible cable extending in a radial plane on saidjib.

12, In mechanism of the class described; the combination with a landingstage; of, a tower; a jib mounted to revolve azimuthally and tiltaltitudinally on saidtower; a motor; means operatively connecting saidmotor with said jib; and airplane engaging means including a flexiblecable bight pendent at the radially outer end of said jib.

13. In an airplane landing and launching mechanism, the combination witha jibrevoluble in a horizontal plane and tiltable ina vertical plane; ofa carriage pivotally connected with said jib; means operativelyconnected with said carriage, arran ed to revolve said carriage and j 1bat varizfifle speed; a flexible cable having both ends rigidly connectedwith said jib but having its intermediate portion flexible bothtransversely and longitudinally with respect to said jlb; and

relation with said airdrome; a circular track at the upper end of saidtower in concentric relation with the axis of the latter;'a carriagemounted to revolve upon said track; a hollow column in concentricrelation with said tower; means extending from said air- .drome, throughsaid column, to said carriage, arranged to revolve the latter atvariable speed; a j

' at one side of said column; but extending to the other side thereof; acable extending in a bight pendent from said jib at thefree end thereof,,having each end permanently connected to said jib, but being flexibleboth transversely and in the direction of its length, so as to affordfreedom of movement to the intermediate portion of said bight: means atthe end of said jib opposite said bight, arranged to normally maintainsaid jib in horizontal position upon said carriage; and means arrangedto control the tilting movement of said jib.

15. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with anairdrome having a circular series of storage compartments for respectiveairplanes; of, a landing stage at the roof of said airdrome; meansarranged ib pivoted upon said carriage,

to elevate airplanes from said compartments to said landing stage; atower in concentric relation with said airdrome; a circular track at theupper end of said tower in concentric relation with the axis of thelatter; a carriage mounted to revolve upon said track; a hollow columnin concentric relation with said tower; means extending from saidairdrome, through said column, to said carriage, arranged to revolve thelatter at variable speed; a jib pivoted upon said carriage, at one sideof said column, but extending to the other side thereof; a cableextending in a bight pendent from said jib at the free end thereof,having each end permanently con nected to said jib, but being flexibleboth transversely and in the dlrection of its length, so as to affordfreedom of movement to the intermediate portion of said bight; acounterweight atthe end of said jib opposite said bight, so proportionedas to normally maintain said jib in horizontalposition upon saidcarriage, but permit said jib to tilt its bight provided end downwardly,when loaded with an airplane and released; means arranged to control thetilting movement of said jib; an airplane having a pair of hooks adaptedto engage said bight; and movable latches arranged to cooperate withsaid hooks.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name at New York, NewYork, this sixth day of February, 1920.

JOHNNY s. BLACK.

Witnesses:

HARRY HOOK, J NO. N. DOHNN, B. DORFER.

